Promises
by Andromeda Writes
Summary: Thorne gets his vision back the day before they land on Luna, and he can't take his eyes off of her.


His knuckles flitted across her cheek. "You're much more beautiful than I expected, and I had pretty high expectations."

Her skin darkened with just a few shades of red and she recoiled from his touch. "You-you just haven't seen a woman in two weeks. You don't-you don't really remember what a beautiful woman looks like."

"You highly underestimate my memory, Crescent." Her heart shuddered. No one ever called her that. "I think I know a beautiful woman when I see one."

"Stars, Thorne. You've had your vision back for approximately 63 seconds, and you're already flirting." Cinder crossed her arms and shook her head in disappointment.

Thorne waved her away, "I can't help it! It's natural. Besides, she's the only single lady on this ship that knows how to react without using a computer to figure it out," not too far away, Iko could be heard yelling, though it was incoherent, "and anyway, _look _at her!"

"He was flirting while he was still blind," Kai reminded Cinder from the entryway of the cockpit. No one seemed to notice how the girl's blush became another three shades darker.

Cinder gave him a look, "Where's Wolf?"

"Howling again."

She tightened her pony tail and grabbed his elbow, "Well, you know the drill." She turned to Thorne and Cress, "You two will be all right alone, yeah?"

For their replies, Cress squeaked and Thorne winked and shot the couple a thumbs up.

As they left, he turned back to Cress, leaning against the captain's chair, which he'd turned towards her, arms crossed. He had all the nonchalance as those jocks Cress always saw in second-era television. "So, Crescent."

She wished she had her long hair back, so she could braid it to quiet some of the nerves that were humming throughout her body. "I suppose you won't need me to help you aim a gun when we get to Luna, then."

"I suppose so," he smirked.

She probably could've melted at the sight.

It probably wouldn't have been much of a surprise.

He inched closer and closer to her, and she noticed every subtle movement. "I'm assuming you're quite thrilled to return to Luna."

"Absolutely elated," she crossed her arms over her chest and pretended as if the mere thought of the wretched moon didn't shake her to her very core.

He caught the slight pause of discomfort in her voice, and stared hard at the control panel. "So, can you see Earth through any of the windows?"

She nodded, "We're right over North America right now."

"I wonder if you can see any of the results of the Lunars' invasions."

"Only when the sun's not up," she said, her voice hitching on the last word. "The cities aren't so bright anymore."

Thorne grimaced, "Well, the sun's up on this part of the earth, right? C'mon, I'll show you around."

He flipped the auto-pilot switch and mindlessly reached for her hand and, somehow, she didn't flinch away from his touch again. It ignited flames in her veins as he walked to one of the windows of the Rampion. It was relatively small and rectangular, but Earth was positioned perfectly before it.

"See that?" He pointed toward one part of the North American country, but Cress couldn't have said where even if she had a map overlay. "That's California. I was born in LA. Lived there until I was seventeen." He shifted his direction to the right and down, directly in the middle of the landmass, "That's Texas. I lived in Houston until I was 19. Did all of my military training there. And that," he then pointed to the very right edge of the land, "is New York. If I get pardoned for my crimes, that's where I'm headed."

Cress already knew all of this, of course. Except that last part. That was new. She continually glanced over at him as he spoke, noticing the way his ocean blue eyes sparkled every time he spotted a location that he knew well. The lines in his face deepened as his smile grew and her heart stalled. "It's beautiful." She wasn't looking at the land between the oceans. At least, not the earth's.

His eyes met hers and one corner of his lips turned up in a crooked smile, "Absolutely stunning."

Her glance dropped to his lips, admiring the perfect way that they perfectly turned into a perfect half smile. She looked back out the window, "Do you miss it?"

He followed her stare, falling on the Great Lakes. "I used to. Recently, I've found that there are better opportunities elsewhere. Better people."

Cress noticed that he was still holding her hand, his thumb now drawing patterns on the back of hers. She held on tighter. "We'll be on Luna tomorrow."

He dropped his gaze to the window sill, "You're terrified, aren't you?"

"Completely."

"I won't let you die." He lifted his chin and smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I know." A blush spread across her nose and cheeks again, "You're not allowed to die, either."

"That would be a crime against humanity and Lunars alike."

Cress shrugged, "I can't say I disagree."

"If I do die, though," his face fell into seriousness again, "promise me it won't be before I get the chance to kiss someone again?"

She would've fulfilled his wish right then and there if she'd had any semblance of self-confidence regarding anything that wasn't coding.

Instead, she dipped her head in a quick nod.

"And maybe my next kiss shouldn't come _right before _I die, right?"

Cress gnashed her teeth, dropping her gaze, her mind empty of responses.

"Crescent," she could hear the amusement in his voice.

She looked back up at him. He lifted his free hand and wrapped it around her waist. A small squeak escaped her throat as he craned his head. With a measured breath, she pushed herself up onto her toes, her lips landing perfectly against his.

After a moment, he drew back, putting a small amount of distance between them. He had the biggest grin on his face, "Hm, we should do that again sometime."

Breathless, Cress nodded. "Promise me we will?"

Thorne laughed, "I promise."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Yet another TLCshipweeks fic! This was the first one I wrote! The one that started it all. bless


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